I took a day trip to Podebrady with a group of six friends last weekend. It was an absolutely amazing day out, and I have been recommending it to all of my visitors ever since. Podebrady has won a place in my heart, and I am genuinely surprised that no one had ever told me about it before now.
Firstly, it is really close to Prague - only 50km, so it's a very leisurely 50 minute train journey. Secondly, as soon as you arrive you immediately know you've stumbled on a gem. The train station is exquisite. It is a 1931 masterpiece of Functionalist design, and it's a pure joy to walk around and explore. Then, immediately as you leave the station, you encounter a beautiful manicured parkland, which forms the background the Podebrady spa colonnades. Podebrady is a spa town, with pavilions offering "the waters" at various points. Each of the fonts tastes slightly different, although beware that the water has a high iron content and may have a sulphuric odour. In other words: if it tastes like blood and smells like eggs, it's got to be good for you!
Having ambled through the parkland (or, having taken in a spa treatment if you'd prefer) you'll come to the town centre of Podebrady. It is a charming market square, with plenty of stores offering icecream. Podebrady Castle dates from the 13th century and is positioned between the River Elbe and the town square. The castle contains a small museum dedicated to the town's most famous son, Geroge of Podebrady, who ruled as King of Bohemia between 1458 and 1471. Podebrady is a functioning town, where local people meet, eat and shop, as opposed to city centre Prague or Cesky Krumlov, where tourism has taken over. Therefore, it's interesting to have a look in the shop windows, just to see what a real Czech town looks like.
However, the main event in Podebrady is the River Elbe, on which the town sits. If you're feeling energetic, you can hire a bicycle or some in-line skates and follow the tow-path all along the river; beside the water and shaded by overhanging trees, there is no better place to be on a sunny afternoon. Or if you'd prefer not to travel under your own steam, a small cruise boat plies a course up and down the river. Either way, make sure to stop at a riverside barbecue, where you can sample from fresh grilled trout (90czk) and a beer for 20czk (literally half the price of a beer in Prague).
Best of all, the chances are that you'll be the only English-speaking tourists in Podebrady; we encountered lots of Czechs and some Germans, but no other English-speakers. You'll get the feeling that you're really travelling and experiencing the local culture.
A day in Podebrady will give you a beautiful slice of a verdant Czech idyll. Go there. It's worth it.